Whitehead Island Lighthouse 1

Whitehead Island Lighthouse 1

Whitehead Island Lighthouse is in Tenant's Harbor on the southern channel that leads to Penobscot Bay. Eliot Elisofon could have passed it on his way to Vinalhaven Island, Maine. The first tower here was built in 1804. Still active today, this granite tower was built in 1852, replacing one from 1831, and the keeper's house was replaced in 1891. Whitehead Light Station. https://www.whiteheadlightstation.org/welcome.html (accessed November 25, 2024)

When Photographer Eliot Elisofon was not traveling the world taking photos for LIFE Magazine, he came to Vinalhaven, Maine to rest and recoup. Eliot bought a farmhouse near Crockett Cove on Vinalhaven in 1941, built by Joel and Mary Jane Philbrook in 1843.
Daughter Elin writes, “My father always said his favorite place on earth was Vinalhaven and he meant it. Wherever he was, he was counting the days until he could return to the island. Here he would 'recharge his batteries' from grueling trips to Africa, Asia, the Pacific, or from battles with the publishers and editors he had to constantly prod into sharing his passion and understanding his vision. In Vinalhaven he could relax, soak up the beauty of the place, plant trees, flowers, and vegetables, paint in his studio, cook, and develop the lifelong friendships he treasured."
Elisofon, Elin. FEAST. (Vinalhaven, Maine: April, 1992)
These images are personal photographs taken by Eliot Elisofon on Vinalhaven and were not published during his lifetime.